Ironing machine



Nov. 24y 1925. 1,563,135

A. W. ALTORFER IRONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25P 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 iin n o MQ n Q' w i l Q N NIM A v N l l `|||||I1||Ilhl DE I Q Jl f E Q y il Il l 1|" m imm.' -ur I' l n uw l l luvznfmla.; I E??? Nov. 24, 1925- A. W. ALTORFER IRONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 hl Il Nov. 24, 1925. 1,563,135

A. w. ALTORFER IRONING MACHINE Filed Feb.` 25, 1921 Y 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 24 1925 A. w. ALToRFx-:R

IRONING. MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 NEI-EN TEE..

Nv.z4,1925. 1,563,135

A. W. ALTORFER I VIRONING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 5` MT1-T.

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Nov. 24, 1925. 1,563,135

A. w. ALTORFER IRONING MAHINE Filed Feb. g5, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 45' l Fin'. 3 is an end vl Patented Nov. 24, 19.25.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

.ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, F PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO ALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, 0F EAST PEORIA,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

n IaoNING MACHINE.

Agpiicanqn 'med February 25, i921. 'serial No. 447,832.

To all wiz-0m it may concern.'

Be-it known that I, ALPHEUS AL TORFER, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Peoria, in the. county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ironing Machines, of Which the following is a specification. This inventionJ has reference to ironing machines, and it relates particularly to Ina` chines of this character designed especially for use in the home. One of the objects of the present invention is to improve the mounting and operating means for the'main ironing-shoe, so that it may be brought up to and lit against the material passing-over the cylinder orv mandrel, regardless of the bulkiness or unevenf ness of the material. throughout the length of the cylinder or mandrel.

The invention hasfor a further object to provide a supplemental ironing shoe and means for'manipulating the same which is especially designed for ironing cuiis and collars, and other small .pieces on the cylinder or mandrel.

A further object ,of the invention is to improve the drive for the cylinder-'or mandrel, including a novel means of controlling the operation of said cylinder or mandrel.

A further object of the Vinvention is to improve the foot control forethe main ironingshoe andto provide for' its collapse or recession in the frame for shipping purv poses. j

, That the invention may bel more fully understood, reference isfhad to the accompanying drawings forming a part'of the present description, .illustrating a preferred -em.

40 bodiment of the invention, in'which :4-

Fi g. 1 is a front elevationof my improved ironing machine; Fig. 2 is an end view v'lookin'g in at the left hand end ot Fig. 1;

right hand end of Fig. 1; `Fig.4 is a vertical cross-section, 'asthe samel would appearif/taken on the line 4--.4l*`ig,f.1. V l Fig'. iis avertical cross-section, as the same would appear if taken on the line Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section as the ew looking `in at, the a same would appear, if taken on the line 6-6 Fig. 5; f

Fig. 7 is a detail front elevation of the supplemental ironing shoe, showing its inactive relation to the cylinder or mandrel;

Fig. 8 isaJ view similar to Fig. 7 except" that the supplemental' ironing shoe has been lowered into engagement with the cylinder or mandrel;

Fig. 9 is across-section as the same'vvouldv appear, if taken on the line 9--9 Fig. 8;

i Fig. 10 is a cross-section, partially in plan view, as the same would appear, if taken on the line .1010, Fig. 8.

Fig. 1l is a detail in elevation, showing the mounting -for the main ironing shoe, the

. parts being in the position theyT would be in when the shoe is back and away from the cylmder or. mandrel; f

Fig.12 1s a View similar toiFig. 11, ex-

cept that the parts have been movedl to bring the main ironing shoe up to the cylinder orlmandreh v Fig. 13 is-a detail cross-section, partly in elevation, of the foot control for the main ironing shoe, as the same .would appear if taken on the line 13-13 Fig. 1;

Fig. 14 is a detail'side elevation of the foot control showing how the same may be collapsed or folded in the frame for pack. ing purposes;

Fig. 15 is a lan of Fig. I4, and

the 'sliding Acastings. for the ironing shoe.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughoutthe ligures. In the drawings the frame for Vthe ma.- c-hine includes the end members 11,1, havin channeled inner faces, see Figs. 4, 11, an

. sa Fig. 16 is a eta'l of an adjusting meansv in 12and such members are joined bythe con- "1 necting rods 2, 3,4, and 6 certain of which support or carry operating parts to be hereinafter described. An ladditional rod 5 is provided butV ity does not connect the end members, being a connecting `element for said end members is the receiving board 7,

for thel ironed materials, see Figs. l and 4. The end members are shown supported i 'certain operatlng parts. Also connecting 1 motor` A supported on a base plate 11 secured to one of the end members 1, and said motor, preferably, by mea of a flexible coupling 12 is connected to a short shaft 13 carrying a worm 14, (see Fig. 5) meshing with a worm-wheel 15 on the lower end of an upstanding shaft 16, provided with a worm 17 on its upper end meshing with a worm-wheel 18 carried on one end of the shaft 10, see Figs. 5 and 6. I have shownithe gearing 14 and 15 enclosed within a housing 19 secured to an end member 1; a sleeve or housing 20 enclosing the shaft 16, and a casing 21 enclosing the gearing 17 and 18, and other operating parts. Said housing 21 is also secured to an end member 1.

Looking at Fig. 6, the end of the shaft 10 is slotted as at 22 to receivea pin 23 extending transversely thru a sleeve 24 slidable on the shaft 10, and said sleeve carries the worm-wheel 18 which has an extended hub, also slotted, as at25 into which the pin 23 projects. The worm-wheel 18 is held in place by the frame of the casing 21 designed for this purpose. The end of the sleeve 24 is formed with an annular groove 26 to receive studs o-r rollers on a bifurcated arm 27 of a lever 28 fulcrumed at 29 in the casing 21. Said lever has an extended plate 30 provided preferably, with ball seats 3&1 to receive a yieldingly held ball 32, see Fig. 5,

c for lholding the lever 28 when it is shifted to operative and inoperative positions as illustrated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 6.

In the operation of the drive for the cyl linder or mandrel, assuming the motor has been connected to the source of power, by

' shifting the lever from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6 to the full line position in said figure,- the sleeveV 24 is moved inwardly carrying with it pin 23 causing it to seat itself in the slot 22 in the end of the shaft 10 which will clutch the worm-wheel 18 and sleeve 24,to the shaft, resulting in its being operated. Vhen the lever 28 and the sleeve 24 are in the dotted line positions Shown in Fig. 6, the pin 23 is withdrawn from the slot 22 in the end of the shaft 10 and the gearing 17 and 18 as well as the sleeve 24 may run idle and' the shaft 10 and cylinder or mandrel may remain ',still.

Referring noviT to the main ironing shoe, which, is designatedn 33, said shoe is not unlike other shoes for a similar pur ose, having the conca-ve ironing face 34 and ormed Awith a heating chamber 35, preferably heated by the use of gas led to the shoe thru a hose 36 and controlled by a suitable regulating valve 37, see Fig. 2. The shoe 33 is provided at each of its opposite ends with trunnions 38, and 39. The former being removably carried in bearings 4Qffo`rmed in slidable castings 41,4 and the latter having connection with crank arms 42 having a pivotal bearing at their lower ends on the' connecting rod 6. The castings 41 are preferably located within the channelsof the end members 1 and at their upper ends, see Figs. 4, 11 and 12. lThese castings are formed with longitudinally disposed spaced elongated` slots 43, 44, and 45. rIhe slots 43 and 45 receive pins 46 and allow for endwise movement of-said castings and said slot 44 em braces the shaft 10 so that there shall be no interference with said shaft. Said vcastings are also provided with a'short barrel 47 4and a spaced ear or extension member 48, therefrom. In the barrel is slidably carried a stem 49, see Fig. 16, in which is screwed a member 50 receiving one end of a coil spring 5l with its o posite end bearing against the ear or extension 48. To the free end of each member 5() is pivotally connected a link 52, which at its opposite end is pivotally connectedtoyan arm 53 pivoted at 54 to an cmi member 1. And to each arm 53 there is pivotally connected at 55 a bar 56, having its lower` end connected to the rod 5, and secured to said rod intermediately thereof is a castin 57, which at its lower and oppr site ends 1s connected to the forward endsk of bars 58, which at their rear ends have a pivotal connection with the rod 2, see Figs. 4, 13, 14 and 15. I prefer that the connec tion between the casting 57 and the bars 58 benade by short spindles 59, protruding far 'Fig 15. which fit in and slide in longitudinallypdisposed slots 62 provided in the bars 58. This makes it possible to slide the member 60 on the bars 58 so that the foot control may be collapsed, as it were. in the frame of the machine, and out of the way, useful especially ping the machine.

In the 'peration ofv the foot control to move the ironing shoe 33 up to the cylinder or mandrel- 9, assuming the parts inthe assembled position shown in Figs. 4. 11. aud 13, the attendant or Ioperatorby pressing down on the member 60 will oscillate the bars 58 on the rod 2 andin doing so will pulldownivardly the casting 57 and the bars 56. This operation will result in an oscillation of the arms 53 andv a reciprocal movement of the links 52, which as they assume an approximate horizontal position,

`see Fig. 12, will move the stems 49 and when packing andship- 1 51 as the shoe 33 is brought into contact with the cylinder or mandrel. 9, or the material to be ironed thereon. The sliding of the castings 41 and the arrangement of the springs 51 will allowfor contact of the shoe 33 with the material on the cylinder or manydrel 9 throughout its length, regardless 'of its evenness or unevenness, as thesprings -will permit all the freedom necessary in the adapting of the shoe to s/td cylinder or mandrel. Further, it is to e observed that l the construction of the mounting for the shoe 33 is such as to cause the shoe to move bodily toward the cylindery or mandrel 9 and then cause it to be oscillated to tit itself to the contour of said cylinder or mandrel. This is clearly `apparent frofnlan examination of Figs. 11 and 12. There it is shown,

that as the castings 41 are moved forwardly the trunnions. 38 on the shoe 33 are moved forwa-rdly'ca'rrying the shoe up to the cylinder or mandrel, and at the same time the cranks 42 thru the trunnion connect-ion 39f are osci11ated,and at a predetermined point in the forward movement 'of said shoe it is causedto oscillate on the trunnion connection 39 with said cranks 42, seating itself on said cylinder or mandrel." The forward movement of the .castings 41 are against the tension in springs 63'connected at one end to pins 64 on the castings 41 and at their opposite ends to pins 65 on the end members 1. These springs function to normally hold the castings 41 retracted withthe shoe 33 removed from the cylinder or mandrel, see Figs. 4 and 11, and act to return the shoe to this position after each operation. The springs 51 function and cushion the'shoe as hereinbefore explained.

- and is best seen in Figs. 1, 4, and 13. On the rod 3 intermediatelyof the machine" is' secured a collar 66 provided with a tooth 67,

The foot control means includes locking means for holding the shoe 33 in different positions relative to the cylinder or mandrel,

and adaptedv to-have a ratchet engagement with said'tooth4 is raratchet bar 68, carried in an' upstanding position on the foot control Iii) member 60,and fulcrumed thereon at 69 and having forwardly and rearwardly'ar- L ranged plate extensions 70 and 71. Y The former overlies the inner end of a foot leverv 72 fulcrumed at 73 on the member 60, the latterhaving an enlarged opening 74 provided threin to allow the necessary room for the depression ofsaid lever 72. The

plate extension 71 engages 'a spring 75 seated on the member 60, which yieldingly holds the ratchet tooth end of the bar 68 so that it l, will ratchet with the tooth 67 as'the member 60 yis depressed.

It will be understood. that as the member 6() .is depressed'to move the ironing shoe 33 toward the cylinder or mandrel 9 that the spring 75 holds the bar 68 against the tooth 67 and will hold the shoe in ywhatever position it is moved. To release the ratchet bar 68, the operator will depress the lever y72,

bypressing the toe of the foot thereon, which will result in lifting the plate extension 70` land oscillating the ratchet bar 68 from the .full line position in Fig. 13 tothe ,dotted Immediately line position in said figure.

upon the release of the lever l72, however,

the spring 75 will act to return the ratchet bar 68 to its operative position, thus providing a very effective controlling means for the shoe, and yet giving the operator a controlling means which is' flexible enough to meet all requirements. It -wi1l` be further observed that when the member 60 is collapsed in the frame the locking means is moved into and out of position therewith.

Referring now to the 4supplemental ironi ing shoe which is shown in Figs. land 2, and

best seenin Figs. 7; to 10, the same is desig- I nated '76 and is disposed transversely above one end of the cylinder or mandrel 9 and has a concave lower face 77 y conforming ap- Broximately tothesurface of said cylinder or mandrel, see Fig. 9. pivotally connected with "one end of a lever 7 8 fulcrlimed on a bracket 79 secured to an end member 1 of the machine frame. This lever is preferablyccast with a right angular ehambered end member 80 carried within the shoe 7.6,.see Figs. 9 and 10 and forms the axle on which the shoe is journaled, preferably by studs 81 carried thru, the end walls of the shoe and centered in the ends of said member 80. f'lhe shoe has its rear wall slotted, as at 82 to receive the lever 78, and

to provide an air inlet opening into thea shoe; and a cap or cover plate 83 for the ner'to bejexplained, to lower Vand raise the shoe 76, and theshoe being nivoted on the end of thelever, when it comes into contact with the cylinder o r mandrel 9. or the piece thereon to be ironed, will adapt itself thereto. The pivoting of lthe shoe will also allow for any wear by reason ofc'onstant use, and insure its fitting itself to 'the cylinder or mandrel. vThe shoe is normally held raised by a coil. spring 87 connected. to the outer end of the lever. 78 and to an end member 1 of the frame, andy returns the shoe to its raised 4inoperative position, after actuation.

' The Imeans for actuating the lever 78 and shoe 7 6, comprises a .foot lever 88 fulcrumed on the cross-rod 3, see Figs. 1 and 2, being held in proper position therein by collars 89 and to the inner end of said foot lever is pivotally connected the lower end of a connecting rod or bar 90, which at its upper end is pivotally connected to the lever 78. By depressing the foot lever 88 and raising the rod or bar 90 and oscillating the` lever 78, the shoe 76 will be lowered into position to seat itself ony the cylinder or mandrel. As soon as the fool'J levern 88 is, released, the spring 87 acts immediately to return the parts to their inoperative positions.

lhat I claim is 1. In an ironing machine, a frame, a cylinder thereon, a pair of members, means for connecting" the members to the frame for slidable movement relative thereto, a shoe, means for mounting the shoe on said members to causesame .to partake of the sliding movement of` the members and to enable the shoe to have pivotal movement independentk of the sliding movements of the members, means connected to the members to slide same, and' independent means connected to the frame and pivotally connected to the shoe for effect-ing pivotal movement of L the shoe at a predetermined point in the sliding movements of the members.

2. In an ironing machine, 1n combination, an ironing cylinder, a pair ot sliding frames,

an ironing shoe supported to be moved bodi-l ly by said frames, pivoted members with which the shoe has a connection, whereby the shoe will be oscillated to adapt it to said ycylinder following its bodily movement, a spring on each frame to cushion the seatf ing of the shoe against the cylinder, a :toot control for actuating said frames, and spring means to vreturn the frames and shoe after each operation.

3. In an ironing machine, in combination, a frame, an ironing cylinder journaled therein, an ironing shoe movable toward, and from the cylinder, a foot lever, a movable support for said lever, whereby it may be collapsed in th frame, operating connections between said ever and said shoe, means on the lever having a ratchet locking relation with a frame part, and foot actuating means on said lever for releasing said locking' means.

4. In an ironing machine, in combination,

a main frame an ironing cylinder journaled.

therein, slidable frames at each end of said main frame, an ironing shoe, means supporting said shoe in said frames, pivoted supports with which said shoe is connected, a foot lever, operating connections between said lever and said frames, coacting m'eans on the lever and main frame to lock the frame and shoein different positions, and foot operating means on the lever to release said' locking means.

5. In an ironing machine, 1n combination with an, ironing cylinder and a main ironing shoe lying parallel to said cylinder and movable toward and from said cylinder, of a supplemental ironing shoe disposed above one end of said cylinder, a lever support for said supplemental shoe, and foot actuating means for operating saidv lever.

.6. In an ironing machine, in combination with an ironing cylinder and a main ironing shoe lying parallel` to said cylinder and movable toward and from said cylinder, means also on said foot means for releasing said locking means, of a supplemental ironing shoe disposed above one end of said cylinder, a pivoted support for said sup-` plemental shoe, and foot means to operate said pivoted support, and spring means for lifting the-supplemental shoe into inoperative position away from said cylinder.

7. In an ironing machine, in combination, a frame, an ironing cylinder, an ironing shoe movable toward and from said cylinder, a

`foot operated memberhaving a slidable connection with said frame, operating connections between said member and said shoe, an upstanding ratchet bar on said member, a tooth on the frame engageable by said bar and a foot operated lever on said member for releasing said ratchet bar. c

8. In an ironing machine, in combination,

va frame, an ironing cylinder, anI ironing shoe` movable toward and from said cylinder, a ioot operated member, operating connections between said member and said shoe, a ratchet tooth bar pivoted on said member, a tooth on the frame engageable by said bar, yielding` means for holding the bar in engagement with said tooth, and a foot operated lever on said member to actuate said bar and to release itA from engagement with said tooth.

9. In an ironinfr'machine, in combination, an ironing cylinder, a pivotally supported member located outside the frame of the machine and at one end of the cylinder, an ironing shoe carried by. said member and normally disposed above one end of said cylinder, a foot operated lever, and operating connections between said lever and said) pivotally supported member.

10. In an ironing machine, combination, an ironing cylinder, an ironing shoe located at one end and above said cylinder and having a heating chamber, a pivoted member having a. part within said shoe oted crankv arms connected to said shoe, Ievers operativelyeonnected with said frames, i a foot operating means', and operating connections between said foot operating means and vsaid levers.

12; In an ironmg machine, 1n combination',

a. pair of slidable -frames' each havingl trun I v nion Sockets, yielding means to hold the framesv retracted, `|an ironing shoe having l0 trunnions jolirnaled in said frame sockets,

Vnected to each frame, a foot operating means,

and operating connections between `said' foot operating means and said levers.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand 'this 22 day of Februar-$1921.

rALPHEUS W. ALTQREER.' 

